Sidewalk-tool.



W. S. GLASSGOGK.

SIDEWALK TOOL.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 6, 1909.

Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

WINFIELD SCOTT GLASSCOCK, 0F NEODESHA, KANSAS.

SIDEWALK-TOOL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 6, 1909.

Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

Serial No. 506,106.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WINFIELD S. GLASS- COCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Neodesha, in the county of Wilson and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Sidewalk-Tool, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to implements used in working concrete, and more especially to the handles of trowels and the like which are employed on cement surfaces such as sidewalks; and the object of the same is to produce an implement wherein the handle and head are so connected that the operator while in an upright position may adjust the angle of the head to the length of the handle. This obviously saves him the labor and fatigue of bending his back, thereby facilitating work and increasing the amount of it which he can perform in a given time.

This invention may be said to consist broadly in a handle made up of a number of parts or members slidable throughout their length withrelation to each other, and flexible connections between their lower extremities and the upper surface of the head, and in carrying out this idea the invention comprises certain details of construction as illustrated in the accompanying drawin describedin the following specification an set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing,-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cement workers straight edge or leveling board with a handle constructed according to my invention attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a side-walk creaser showing my improved handle in applied position. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a side-walk trowel showing a slightly modified form of my improved handle attached thereto. Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view through the line A--B Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow head. Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view through the line A'B' Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrow-head. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a side walk edger showing my improved handle applied thereto.

In a more detailed description of my invention in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the views shown, 6 designates the head of the tool which is here a straight edge or leveler blade formed from a single strip of wood, metal or other material and provided on its upper surface with a plurality of upstanding eyes 7, dis

posed at points remote from each other. To said eyes is flexibly attached a handle which is divided longitudinally into a number of sections 8 and 9 extending through its length and provided at their lower ends with projections or links 10 and 11 terminating in eyes 12 and 13 which loosely engage the upstanding eyes of the leveler blade. The sections of the handle are bound together by spaced bands 15 and 16 which surround the handle sections and loosely hold the opposed bearing faces 17 of the same in contact. Each of the bands is fixedly secured to one of the handle sections by screws or similar fastening devices 18 and slidably fits the remaining section, and in operation will permit of a longitudinal relative movement of the sections and prevent any independent rotary or twisting movement of the same.

It is evident in the above construction that any movement of a handle section will tilt the leveler blade correspondingly and that a combined relative movement of all the sections will permit of a swiveled movement of the handle on the blade in order to quickly and easily adjust the latter to any desired angular position to the handle.

The outer surface of each of the handle sections is curved so that the sections when assembled will present a smooth rounded outer surface that will be easy and comfortable to the hand of the operator.

The tool shown in Fig. 2 to illustrate the invention is a creaser consisting of a metal head or body portion 19 having a downwardly extending groove-making rib 20 disposed centrally on its under surface. One edge of the body portion is turned upward to form a straight edge guide plate 21 that bears against a temporary guide board held in position on the side Walk while the grooves are being made in the cement. The handle in this case is hinged to the body portion of the tool in any desired mannerbut preferably by eyes made in the form of in s 22 disposed on the upper surface of the b0 y port-ion and provided with the usual pintles 23 that engage the terminal eyes 24 of projections or links 25 secured to the lower portion of each section. The handle has its grip portion composed of longitudinal relatively movable sections 26 and 27 bound together by bands 28, each of which is fixedly secured to one of said handle sections in the manner above described. As will be seen the handle is hinged to the upper surface of the body portion of the tool, the advantage of this construction being to permit of a pivotal movement of the handle, while preventing any swiveling movement of the body portion of the tool thereon as it is veryessential in making the grooves in cement walks that the blade be rigidly held parallel with the temporary guide board in its travel along the lateral edge thereof.- In the creaser shown, the blade is held at the desired angular position by the operators grip upon the handle, the grip being loosely maintained thereon so that as the blade is pushed farther away from the operator the relatively movable handle sections may be slid easily longitudinally of one another to permit the handle to adjust itself to the constantly changing angular position of the blade.

To illustrate the use of my improved handle on a cement working tool in which the blade is not confined or limited in its movements as in the creaser above described, the head shown in Fig. 3 is a trowel which comprises a blade 29 preferably having straight edges and provided with a reinforcing strip 30 disposed centrally on its upper surface. Secured to the upper surface of the blade adjacent the lateral edges of the reinforcing strip are four upstanding eyes 31 arranged in a rectangle and in which are loosely engaged the terminal eyes 32 of links 33 secured to the lower ends of the handle sections. The handle in this case has its grip portion composed of four interfitting sector shaped sections 34 which are adapted to have a relative sliding movement in the direction of the length of the handle in order to permit the handle to be swiveled on the blade so that the latter will be held flatly in contact with the surface of the cement walk during all the angular positions that the handle may assume in manipulating the trowel to smoothly surface corners, edges and other portions of the walk .which are accessible with difiiculty. The sections of the handle are bound together by a plurality of bands 35, each of which surrounds the bandle and is positively secured to one of the longitudinal sections thereof. In order that the handle sections may be easily manipulatedstops 36. are provided which project laterally from the outer surface of each of the sections and provide convenient projections against which the thumb may be brought to bear in order to apply pressure to any section to tilt the blade in any desired angular position.

In Fig. 6 is shown an edger having a handle composed of two. relatively movable sec- I tions 37 and 38 secured together by bands 39 and terminating in hinge lugs 4C0 for engagement with eyes formed in the shape of hinge lugs 41 disposed on the upper surface of the head which is here an edger blade 42. Depending from one of the longitudinal edges of the blade is a straight edge making rib 43 which is adapted to be guided along the lateral face of the temporary guide board extending along the lateral edges ofthe side walk and form a rounded and smooth finished edge of the usual and well known kind. it will be noticed that as the edger and creaser have similar movements in operation, namely, a hinge movement of the blade only being required, that the handles are identical. Thus the handles shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 may be used on tools hav ing the same operative movements as those illustrated in the figures.

It will thus be seen that a handle has been provided which may have a limited or universal movement on the working portion of a tool, that this handle will enable a workman to operate the tool while standing in any position in relation to his work, and that the adjusting movement of the handle sect-ions may be stopped at any desired point and the working portion of the tool rigidly held in this position by simply tightening the grip upon the handle sections.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing it is thought that the construction and operation of my invention may be easily understood without a more extended explanation, it being understood, that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be made Without sacrificing any of the advantages or departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is 1. A sidewalk tool comprising a head, a handle divided longitudinally throughout substantially its entire length into a plurality of sections, means for holding the sections loosely assembled upon each other, eyes on the upper surface of the head at points remote from each other, and a flexible connection between each handle section and one of said eyes.

2. A tool of the character described comprising a head, a handle cylindrical in contour and divided longitudinally throughout substantially its entire length into a number of sections relatively movable on each other, bands loosely inclosing the sections at remote points in the length of the handle and each band secured to one section only, and flexible connections between the lower ends of the sections and remote points on the head.

3. A sidewalk tool comprising a head, a plurality of eyes in its upper surface, a handle divided longitudinally throughout substantially its entire length into a plurality of sections movable on each other, bands loosely inclosing the sections at remote points in the length of the handle and each secured to one cross section assembled in cylindrical contour and slidable upon each other, means for holding them assembled, a stop in each section, and means connecting each section with one of said eyes.

5. A sidewalk tool comprising a head of rectangular contour, four eyes arranged in a rectangle in its upper surface, a handle divided longitudinally throughout substantially its entire length into four sections slidable upon each other, bands inclosing said sections for holding them assembled, a stop in each section, and a link secured to and projecting beyond the lower end of each section and having an eye engaging with one of the eyes in the head.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

VINFIELD SCOTT GLASSGOGK.

WVitnesses:

HARRY H. WoonmNo, ARTHUR L. HILL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

